The use of continuous mulch film has become common in large-scale agriculture operations. Under this procedure, the ground is initially prepared for planting, and a long strip of mulch film is laid over the planting row. Seeds are then planted through the mulch film. Another utilization of continuous film involves depositing it over a series of bent wire arches to produce a shelter tunnel for seedlings that have previously been planted. A device for depositing the film directly on the ground is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,530; and application Ser. No. 788,018 (filed on Oct. 16, 1985) covers a machine for installing the arches. These developements are owned by the assignee of the present application.
A strip of film three or four feet wide is a rather awkward material to handle as it is taken from the roll and brought down so that its edges can be interengaged with the ground. Obviously, this problem becomes even more difficult when even a moderate wind is blowing. Some difficulty has also been encountered when the film is pulled from the roll by the tension supplied from the previously-installed portions of the strip. This tension tends to disturb the engagement of the edges of the film with the ground at the point where the installation is taking place. As the wheels responsible for pressing the film edges into the ground are working to perform this function, the film tension is tending to pull the film into a straight line, and thus pull the edges out of the furrows that have been closed over them. Where film is being deposited over arches, a tendency has been noted for the film tension to pull the arches out of position during the installation. The present invention provides a simple and economical solution to these problems.